The present invention relates to the prevention of motion sickness and more particularly to a set of exercises which condition a human to prevent the symptoms of motion sickness.
Motion sickness is a normal response by the body which occurs when the brain receives too many or conflicting messages which relate to motion. The eyes are important sensors which visually record our position in the world relative to other objects. These objects may actually exist or simply be images on a screen. In muscles and joints, are other sensors (e.g., nerves) which provide information to the brain about the position and movement of our body. Perhaps the most important sensors are the fluid filled structures called the semi-circular canals which are located in each ear. Inside these canals, there are tiny hair cells which are stimulated when the head moves. The brain continually receives messages from all of these sensors.
Normally, the brain has no difficulty in appropriately processing all of these messages, and we pursue our various activities with no ill effects. However, if the brain is overwhelmed with too much and conflicting sensory information, the body responds with the symptoms of motion sickness. These symptoms include nausea, lightheadedness and headache. Motion sickness can also occur when a continuing repetitive pattern of motion is different from that normally experienced.
Motion sickness is commonly experienced when riding in a moving vehicle such as a car, boat, airplane, or amusement park ride, and many other activities. Motion sickness symptoms can also occur when a visual perception indicates that motion is taking place but the body is not in fact moving. A good example of this is when a person is viewing a very large screen motion picture of a rider's view of a roller coaster ride, while seated in a theater such as an IMAX. There are numerous drugs and devices which have been used to reduce or eliminate motion sickness, but to date, all of these known solutions have disadvantages. For example, a commonly used patch may cause side effects such as nightmares. Some drugs cause extreme drowsiness, and most physical devices, such as pressure bracelets, are not particularly effective.
Other methods, such as visual-vestibular habituation exercises and balance training, involve exposure to the motion sickness causing conditions to develop a tolerance to such conditions. Although known methods have provided some relief, they generally require active supervision, may take months to achieve significant results, and may not provide a complete solution.